DNC awards $70,000 to Indiana Democratic Party in down-ballot ‘boost’
The Indiana Democratic Party hopes to break GOP supermajorities in the Legislature.
Democratic Party
La Keisha Jackson wins caucus to represent Senate District 34
Jackson, a city-county councilor of 10 years and a not-for-profit CEO, will finish out Sen. Jean Breaux’s term. Democrats will hold a second caucus to determine who will fill Breaux’s place on the November ballot to serve the next four-year term.
Black leaders want answers after state Democratic Party’s director says she was fired
ZeNai Brooks, who ran for state auditor in 2022, sent an email to members of the Indiana Democratic Party’s State Central Committee, explaining that she did not resign as the party’s executive director but was terminated.
Five takeaways from the 2023 election
Overall, the results seemed to reinforce the Republican reign over Indiana’s vast suburban and rural swaths, raising more questions than answers about whether Democrats can put a dent in the GOP’s long-held dominance over statewide elections in 2024.
Hogsett prevails but now faces well-funded Shreve
Incumbent Mayor Joe Hogsett soundly defeated Democratic challenger Robin Shackleford in Tuesday’s primary election, setting up a November showdown with Jefferson Shreve, a largely self-funded millionaire who handily won the GOP nomination.
How a contested GOP gubernatorial primary could help Democrat Jennifer McCormick
Jennifer McCormick, for now the presumptive favorite for the Democratic nomination for governor, could hoard cash while Republicans spend big money to try and win a contested three-way primary election next year.
Primary voters to choose Hogsett’s path or Shackleford’s vision
As Mayor Joe Hogsett seeks a third term, he is facing opposition for the Democratic nomination. State Rep. Robin Shackleford was among Black leaders last spring calling for racial equity in the party’s candidate endorsement practices.
Can Democrats put dent in Indiana GOP’s legislative supermajority?
In order to break the Republican supermajority in both chambers, Democrats would need to gain five House districts and six Senate seats in the Nov. 8 election.
UPDATE: Some Marion County Democrats call for Black party chair following Bell’s resignation
Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis, National Action Network of Indiana and the Baptist Ministers Alliance called for the change and questioned why Kate Sweeney Bell’s departure as party chair didn’t come sooner.
Inspired by slating controversies, group targets small-time, big-impact elected positions
Not-for-profit Act Indiana says 60 people associated with the organization were elected in last month’s primary-year elections for Democratic precinct committee positions. That’s more than one in five of the 291 precinct committeepeople elected.
Indy Democratic Party chair headed toward win in clerk’s race, signaling change in party leadership
Marion County Democratic Party Chair Kate Sweeney Bell was headed toward victory Tuesday night in the primary race for county clerk, leading her non-slated primary opponent, former state Sen. Billie Breaux. Bell has said she would step down as party chair if she won.
Clerk’s race could carry consequences for Marion County Democrats
A longtime feud among local Democrats has come to a head in the contentious race for county clerk, pitting county recorder and party chair Kate Sweeney Bell against former state senator and two-time county auditor Billie Breaux.
Democratic Party chair facing daunting task in Indiana
Mike Schmuhl says any turnaround for Democrats must include the revitalization of the Democratic Party at the local level, a task complicated by the image of a national party that cares less about rural and small-town voters.
Meet the five Democrats running for Indy’s new state Senate seat
The candidates are in a crowded primary election battle to become their party’s nominee for the seat.
City-County Councilor Ethan Evans leaves Democratic Party, becomes independent
Evans says he feels mostly shut out of the Democrat-controlled council despite “speaking for a wide progressive base who wants these very solutions implemented.”
Legislators vote to ban some officeholders from being Marion County party chair—but not themselves
A Democrat-authored amendment aimed at ousting Marion County Democratic Party Chair Kate Sweeney Bell made it a step further this week when the Indiana House approved the elections bill it’s tacked onto. And the bill leaves the door open for state legislators to pursue her job.
Some Black Democratic leaders call on Marion County party chair to resign
Some Black Indianapolis-area elected officials accused Marion County Democratic Party Chair Kate Sweeney Bell of running discriminatory selection processes for slating and precinct committee people.
Can better communications, more outreach lift IndyGOP?
Under the leadership of new party chair Joe Elsener, IndyGOP has worked to build a sturdier foundation: rolling out a new website, maintaining a consistent presence on social media, launching a new weekly newsletter and starting a young Republicans Club.
Q&A with Mike Schmuhl, new chairman of Indiana Democratic Party
IBJ recently had a chance to talk to Schmuhl about his rebuilding efforts—and the prospect of Pete Buttigieg coming back to Indiana to run for office.
Schmuhl elected chairman for Indiana Democratic Party
Mike Schmuhl, former presidential campaign manager for Pete Buttigieg, will replace outgoing chair John Zody, who has held the position since 2013.